UNWTO Vows to Boost Liberia’s Tourism Sector

– Receives National Five-year Tourism and Trade Strategy

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has expressed a firm commitment to boost Liberia’s roadmap to enable the country become a prime tourist destination.

The Secretary General of the UNWTO, Taleb Rifai, in a deeply reflective outlook, intimated that Liberia has always had a special relationship with the World Tourism Organization, stressing that Liberia represents a ‘Story of Pride’ on the African continent.

Speaking in London on Wednesday when he received Liberia’s five-year Tourism Trade Strategy and Plan of Action, presented by Information Minister Eugene Nagbe, Rifai laid out an exhaustive and collaborative approach that positions the WTO at the heart of Liberia’s efforts toward attracting international visitors to its pristine beaches, historical and cultural sites along with its huge eco-tourism possibilities.

The UNWTO chief scribe also suggested that Liberia’s approach must be focused on a particular area within its rich tourism sector.

He assured Liberia of the WTO’s commitment to providing technical and financial collaboration in her quest to move to the nerve center of global tourism attraction, promising to rationalize Liberia’s financial obligation to the world tourism body.

Rifai offered to visit Liberia to set the tune in driving Liberia’s re-engagement efforts.

Information and Tourism Minister Eugene Lenn Nagbe, who is in London attending the UNWTO – Market Ministerial Summit on Global Tourism, posited that Liberia’s five-year Tourism and Trade Strategy and Plan of Action explains key priority areas in projecting the country as a competitive tourist destination.

“Tourism, we have determined, can be a vital catalyst to Liberia’s economic recovery while exploring our untapped potential,” Minister Nagbe stressed.

The minister asserted that the document was carved with the emerging dynamics and critical protocols that continue to promote global tourism and trade among nations and peoples of the world.

Minister Nagbe made a passionate plea for technical collaboration and other intervention by the UN body aimed at advancing Liberia’s case.

The Liberian Tourism Minister urged the UNWTO to rationalized Liberia’s financial obligation with the organization as it moves to chart a new and progressive course in re-energizing its huge tourism potential.

Minister Nagbe listed the country’s vast coastline and pristine beaches, attracting global competitive surfers, natural reserves that continue to attract international visitation and most importantly, a peaceful and hospitable population as some of its key assets.

Nagbe is attending the United Nations World Trade Organization (UNWTO)-backed Ministerial Forum with the World Travel Market, ExCeL London 2016, and was accompanied by Liberia’s Ambassador accredited to London, H.E Dr. S. Mohamed Sheriff.

The Ministerial Forum in London represents the largest assembly of tourism ministers and sector partners outside the UNWTO assembly.

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